Curtain Call
by starknakedgendry
Summary: "What the hell? I didn't audition for Lady Nymeria!" Arya Stark ended up getting a role in the school play "The Lowborn and Milady High". But what she didn't know was that she'd end up getting more out of it: playing the main character instead of the one she auditioned for, and making a new friend who plays the role of the blacksmith. Two-part Modern AU only.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm making this a really short one, just 2 parts for this story. I'm still doing Leaving Winter, so I shouldn't start making something entirely new. But the plot's been bugging me for days now, so yeah, I caved in to the Gendrya temptation. AGAIN.**

**This is the first of only two chapters so...ENJOY!**

* * *

She stared at the closed door.

A printed out sign was taped to it that said _'SILENCE! AUDITIONS GOING ON!' _Arya turned to look around the busy hallway, seeing both familiar and unfamiliar faces sitting on the chairs and on the floor. The entire school was buzzing with excitement for the auditions scheduled that day. It was all Arya's friends were talking about, even urging her to go to the audition herself. She was hesitant at first; knowing that the play is entitled _The Lowborn and Milady High_, she was sure it was like one of those cheesy, sappy, stupid romance novels that her sister Sansa loves to read. After much prodding from friends and Sansa, Arya decided to just humor them and show up on the day itself.

She trudged to the end of the hallway and plopped unceremoniously on the floor. Taking out part of the script that Sansa gave her, she went through the lines of a character named Freya. Thinking that being the daughter of the stable master, she wouldn't have much to say or do, and so Arya thought that playing Freya would do.

She saw the door open and one of the English teachers step out to call a few more names. She ushered them into the room, shaking her head in exhaustion upon seeing the line down the entire length of the hallway. Arya moved forward along with the line before taking her spot on the floor again.

"I didn't think auditions would take this long."

The guy behind her said tiredly, but Arya paid him no mind. She didn't know if he was talking to her or just talking aloud, so she kept on reading the script and scanning the pages for Freya's parts.

"What role are you auditioning for?"

Okay, he was definitely talking to her. Arya gave a little shrug and replied "Freya", without even looking up. "How about you?"

"I'm going for Joffrey," he replied.

Arya frowned. From what she's seen on the script, Joffrey is the son of an incestuous relationship between the Queen and her brother, although the King most definitely did not know that. He was described as strong-willed, has an uncontrollable temper with a sadistic streak. Why the hell would he want to play such character?

"Why the hell would you want to play Joffrey?" she asked, turning her head to look at him, so fast that she feels slightly dizzy from it.

_Wow. Blue._

Those were her first thoughts upon seeing the guy's face; his eyes boring into hers so deeply she feels her face and neck flush from embarrassment. She didn't let up the stare, though, and neither did he.

"I just think playing a bad guy is more challenging than playing the nice ones," he answered, his voice sounding husky to her ears. Like, _really husky._

_Focus, Arya Lyanna Stark. Focus!_

"But Joffrey is insane! He might be crazy, even!"

"Don't the girls like bad boys?" he replied with a smirk.

Arya rolled her eyes. "Most girls are stupid."

He laughed, making Arya even more embarrassed because they were talking about the impending auditions and here she was, thinking about how sexy his laugh sounded and how annoyingly good he looks with a smirk plastered on his face. Arya wanted to punch that smirk right off his mouth.

Or kiss it, maybe.

_FOCUS!_

They talked a bit more about the characters; arguing a bit about how he thinks the bastard son of Lord Eddard is always brooding but she, on the other hand, thinks Jon is awesome. They argued again when she said the bastard blacksmith is stupid but he thinks the opposite. _He's both brains and brawn, I tell you_, he said. Arya only rolled her eyes and called him _stupid_ as well.

When her name was finally called, she turned to him and said, "Well…I have to go. I guess I'll see you around? Good luck with Joffrey," she added with a laugh.

"You'll definitely see me around, Arya Stark."

She was almost to the door when she him say her name. She looked back at him and tilted her head to the side, a question lingering on her lips. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?"

He smirked again, that sexy smirk that makes Arya's heart flutter furiously in her chest.

"Gendry. Gendry Waters."

* * *

It's been three days since the auditions and Arya was growing restless by the day. She didn't know why she's suddenly obsessed about getting a part. Although she was sure her sister auditioning for the role of Sophie would most definitely land her the part, while she would be Freya, the stable master's daughter, and with little to no lines at all.

She noticed a group of students huddled close to the bulletin board in the middle of the hallway, some squealing in delight, some sporting dejected looks on their faces, while some jumped all around in obvious excitement. She tapped the girl nearest her, Ygritte she thinks her name is, and asked, "What's going on there?"

"They just posted the list of names who passed the auditions," Ygritte said with a shy smile.

_Seven hells!_

Arya thanked Ygritte and quickly walked over to where the rest of the students were, grasping at the paper tacked on the board and finding out if their names were in it.

Finally, _finally_, when Arya was close enough to check, she searched for Lady Sophie first and saw that her sister got the part. She dragged her finger further down and saw Prince Joffrey and was dismayed when it wasn't Gendry's name beside it. Next, she searched for Freya and was even more disappointed at knowing that her friend Willow got the part.

She didn't even know that Willow tried for Freya's part and she was feeling a little betrayed.

She turned around to leave when her face suddenly smacked right on to someone's chest, and a _fucking hard chest_ it was. She almost swallowed her tongue when she saw that the chest belonged to someone whose sexy smirk made her heart flutter.

"Congratulations, milady," he murmured, looking at her gray eyes again.

"I didn't get the part, stupid, and neither did you," she replied angrily. Why she was angry, she didn't know. Maybe it was because of her not getting the part, or whatever.

"Actually, you did. _We_ did. Just not the parts we auditioned for."

"Wait….what?" Arya asked, feeling stupid about stuttering.

Gendry leaned closer to the board, his body leaning closer to Arya even more. She felt her ears go hot, as if steam was coming out of it like a character in one of Bran and Rickon's favorite cartoon shows. He forced her to turn around and face the board, grabbed her hand and holding up her index finger as he dragged it down the tacked paper. She tried her best not to shiver from his touch, but she probably did and she was grateful that he didn't say anything about it.

He stopped when her finger was pointed to her name, but she stopped smiling when she saw which role she's playing.

"What the hell? I didn't audition for Lady Nymeria!"

"I didn't audition for the role of Joseph, either," he replied, his lips so freakingly close to her ear.

She swiftly turned to face him, hitting his chin with her head in the process, and Gendry muttered an expletive under his breath.

"Oops! Sorry!" Arya said sheepishly, although a grin was starting to form on her face. "You got the part of the stupid bastard blacksmith! Fuck yeah!"

Gendry couldn't help but laugh along. It was a funny thing, this play. They got the parts they least liked, but they were both happy for some reason or another.

The bell rang just then, making Gendry jump backwards and away from her. _Too close_, he thought. He picked up his backpack and slung it over one shoulder and said, "I guess we _will_ be seeing each other around more often, Lady Nymeria."

Arya rolled her eyes as was very typical of her, he noticed, and shot back, "Shut up, _stupid_."

* * *

Arya couldn't do it. She's tired and frustrated and hungry that she wanted to ditch rehearsals but she _has_ to be there. Nymeria is a main character, she realized, and she seemed to have more lines and appearances than Sansa.

"Alright, take 15, everyone!" Mr. Forel shouted out to the entire auditorium. He signaled to his Assistant Director Mrs. Mordane (the English teacher that Arya now hates) to leave along with the others, meaning it was only her and Mr. Forel inside.

He asked her to take a seat beside him, making Arya feel more incompetent than she already was feeling.

"What's the matter, Miss Stark?" he asked, exhaustion clearly heard in his voice.

Arya continued to stare at her shoes to avoid looking at him. He's a good teacher, having transferred to Westeros High the previous year from a private school from outside the country. She found him very warm and appreciative of his students' work, at the same time, motivating them into working their asses off.

"Tell me, Arya," he said again, tapping her shoulder to make her look at him. "Do you have a problem with playing Nymeria?"

Arya gave a small shrug. "Not really. Just wondering why I got the role instead of the one I auditioned for."

"You mean Freya?"

"Yes."

"That was a stupid thing, auditioning for Freya, you know. We found your personality more like Nymeria than a stable master's daughter who practically had no line to say."

Arya couldn't resist the temptation of asking the question, but she dived for it anyway. "What about Gendry? Why did he get Joseph's part instead of Joffrey's?"

Syrio smiled. "Like I said, it fits his personality more."

Arya laughed. "But Joseph's stupid!"

Syria wagged a finger in front of her face in objection, making a tutting sound for full effect. "The blacksmith Joseph isn't as stupid as you think he is. He plays a vital role in all this. Haven't you read the entire script?"

Arya cringed. "Uhh…no?"

Syrio sighed. "Get to it tonight."

They both stood, coming to an understanding now that the question nagging Arya has been answered.

"You can do it, brave girl," Syrio added, before taking his leave. "I know you can play this role, if only you put your mind to it."

Arya nodded in response. She took her script that's lying on one of the auditorium seats, sighing at how thick it was and realized that she _did_ need to read it in its entirety.

"Mr. Forel?" she called out before stepping out.

The kind teacher looked up from reading the script. "Yes, Arya?"

"Do you think I could skip today's rehearsal, though?"

Syrio noticed that she was trying to hide the grin from spreading across her face. He rolled his eyes and answered, "Tomorrow, maybe."

Arya pretended to look hurt before she turned to leave.

Mr. Forel called out one last time and Arya had to laugh when she heard him say, "Not today!"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Final one, guys. Thanks for reading and reviewing! My apologies for the cheesy ending, but maybe that's just how I like it. (Yes, cheeseball.)**

* * *

"He's hot."

Arya reluctantly moved her vision from the TV to where Sansa was standing at the other end of the room. Arya was on the couch watching TV when her sister walked in.

She turned back to the TV screen and replied, "Of course he's hot. That's Bradley fucking James."

Sansa sighed. "Do you really have to inject cuss words in the middle of everything you say?"

"That's an exaggeration. I don't inject cuss words in everything I say."

"Well, almost," Sansa said, taking the space beside Arya and grabbing the pillow beside her. "You cuss like a sailor."

"Well, I didn't cuss during my last remark, didn't I?" Arya said with a sarcastic tone. "And now, I just fucking did."

Her sister gave her the famous Sansa eye roll. "I meant to say, Gendry Waters is kinda…"

Arya raised her brow.

"…hot." Sansa finished with a knowing smile.

"I guess. So what about it?"

"Don't you have a kissing scene to do towards the end of the story?" Sansa asked, her head tilted to one side as she twirled the end of her long, auburn hair in her dainty fingers.

Arya froze. "What?"

"Seriously, Arya. Haven't you read the entire script?"

Arya remembered Mr. Forel asking her to read it three days ago. _What the fuck!_ She threw the remote to Sansa and dashed out of the room.

"Arya! What are you doing?" Sansa called after her, as Arya dashed up the stairs and into her room.

Sansa heard a _"I have to read the script!"_ before her sister's bedroom door slammed shut.

* * *

Everyone jumped in surprise as Mr. Forel threw his shoe at the bottom of the stage (thank god he didn't throw it at someone) out of frustration. He started venting his anger by rattling on in his native tongue, and the rest of them had to sit or stand there and wait until he lets all the anger out.

Hopefully he doesn't kill anyone. _"Not today!" _he usually said, whether it was to a question of _"Should we go over the part where Joffrey gets slapped by his uncle Tyrion?" (Not today!)_, or _"Can we take a 15-minute break?" (Not today!),_ or _"Do you want cream in your coffee?" (Not today!)._

But Arya likes Mr. Forel because he's a refreshing change from all the boring Westeros High teachers, and he's very good at what he does. He told Arya one time when they were on a short break from rehearsing, that he took up water-dancing (whatever the fuck that is, Arya thought) back home and he'd be happy to teach Arya when all this madness of a play is over.

The angry director's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You have one line to say, Hot Pie! One line! That's it! Why can't you say it properly?"

She made a sideway glance at Gendry's friend, Hot Pie, and noticed that he's piss scared and looks like he's about to piss his pants. She's taken a liking to the boy, actually, earning the nickname Hot Pie because of the time he had to go home early from school because of diarrhea. Apparently, eating six hot pies in one sitting did not turn out well for him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Forel," Hot Pie muttered. "I just keep forgetting my cue."

"What's your line, Hot Pie?" Mr. Forel said, his tone softening this time.

"Hodor," Hot Pie muttered.

"Good. Never forget. HODOR!" Mr. Forel exclaimed, raising his hands in resignation before putting them on his hips. "Let's just end this tonight. I'll see you all here again tomorrow. Hopefully, you _all _know your lines."

Hot Pie looked twice as embarrassed as he was earlier. He looked over at Gendry and Arya, who were still standing in place as is their blocking, and he shrugged his beefy shoulders. Gendry rolled his eyes before walking over to him.

"Come on, big guy," putting an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Let's get pizza, my treat." He turned to Arya this time and said, "You want to come with us?"

Arya shrugged. "Sure."

* * *

"I'm sure Hot Pie will do fine," Arya said to Gendry.

He was driving her home as he insisted, since Arya told Sansa that she would just take the bus on her way home. It was already close to 7pm, and Gendry didn't want her walking out there alone.

They dropped off Hot Pie first at his house which was actually near Gendry's, before he turned back around to head towards Arya's house, which is in the more exclusive and classier part of town. Gendry said it was no big deal to drive all the way there and illogical to make Arya commute when he has a car to use for its actual purpose. Arya gave in eventually, but not before Gendry heard about _what an idiot _he was for about a dozen times. Still, Arya thanked him all the same.

"Turn right here," Arya said, pointing to the biggest house in the street.

Gendry almost choked on his own tongue.

"Please tell me you don't actually live here," Gendry said as he stared at the expanse of the Stark residence.

Arya gave an eye roll. "No, I actually scrub Lord Ned's floors and change Lady Cat's beddings."

"Ned and Cat are your parents, right?"

"They're actually the people I work for. I'm their serving girl."

"How can someone so small be a huge pain in my ass?"

"Because you're an idiot."

"Get out of the car. You're giving me a migraine."

Arya laughed, and Gendry couldn't help but join in. When she was out of the car and was waving goodbye, Gendry couldn't help but tease her a final time before zooming down the street.

"Mr. Forel said we're doing the final scene's kiss tomorrow. Make sure you're ready. Once I kiss you, you might change your mind about calling me an idiot all the time," he said, that sexy smirk appearing on his face again.

Arya stood there feeling like _the _idiot.

* * *

"We're waiting," Mr. Forel said.

Gendry and Arya slowly turned to look at the director and saw that not only was he waiting, but so were the rest of the cast and crew.

He turned to look at Arya and saw that she was as white as sheet. Her breath came in pants and she was holding a death grip on the front of his shirt, either to stop him from leaning over or just to anchor herself to. She looked about ready to faint so Gendry took pity on her. Slowly, he pried her fingers loose from his shirt and whispered, "I'll be right back, okay?"

Arya only nodded.

She watched as Gendry walked over to Mr. Forel and whispered something in his ear. They were talking in whispers and saw that Mr. Forel's face showed signs of both worry and understanding. He then turned to the rest of them and said, "Everyone, why don't we throw lines and go over Joffrey's death scene one more time? Props committee, I need you to fix the stuffed direwolves. I need glowing eyes, okay? Lights and Sounds, perfect timing as always. But I need spots for when Joseph and Nymeria meet in the Godswood. Maybe add some fog for effect too? Alright people, get to it!"

Everyone rushed about. Mr. Forel signaled Gendry and Arya to follow him at the back of the auditorium.

When they were out of earshot, Mr. Forel said to Arya without preamble, "I'm sorry, Arya. I didn't know this would be your first kiss."

Arya turned beet red. She glared at Gendry, who only shrugged in answer.

"Maybe you should both...ahhh...practice?" Mr. Forel asked with raised brows. "It'll be fine, my sweet. Gendry would know what to do."

Arya wanted the earth to open up and swallow her into oblivion. Gendry looked embarrassed too; thank god he shared in her embarrassment.

Mr. Forel gave them one last encouraging smile before taking his leave. "Be back in an hour. We still need to rehearse the final battle."

"Come on," Gendry said, taking her small hand in his. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

They found an empty classroom down the hall. Gendry was sitting on a desk while Arya was slowly pacing the floor.

"Arya."

"What?"

"It's been 15 minutes. We need to go back soon."

"I know, stupid! Just give me a minute, okay?"

"No. I've given you 15. Come here," he said, softly this time.

Arya slowly dragged her feet towards him, making Gendry heave an exasperated sigh.

"You look like you're going to your own beheading. Just relax, okay?"

"When people tell me to relax, all the more reason why I can't."

"Shut up."

"Wow. Gendry Waters just ordered me to shut up."

"Quiet!"

He gave her hand a small tug, making her move closer to where he was sitting on the desk. "Just relax, okay? I'm not going to _assault_ you or anything…"

Gendry couldn't concentrate fully. Arya was looking at him with those big, stormy gray eyes, and he feels as if he's drowning in their depths that he suddenly can't remember what he was saying. She looked so scared and innocent and he just felt a sudden need to kiss her fears away.

His hand went to the side of her neck and he's scared that she suddenly stopped breathing. He tried to keep the smile on his face from showing - he knows Arya wouldn't appreciate that—but he couldn't help but lean rub his thumb against her soft cheek, until he feels her relax a bit and lean towards his soft touch. When she closed her eyes, Gendry leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her lips, making sure he wasn't so aggressive in doing so. This was Arya's first kiss, and for the life of him, he didn't know why he wanted this to be special for her despite the circumstances. Hell, it's not as if actual feelings are involved, right?

_Right?_

He must have groaned when he felt Arya respond to the kiss in ways he didn't expect her to. Her mouth was so warm and tasted so sweet, he couldn't help but touch her lower lip with his tongue, but only with the lightest of touches. He heard her gasp in surprise and felt her shiver, even as she wound her arms around his neck and thread into his hair. Maybe it was instinct, but when Arya opened her mouth to join her tongue with his, he totally lost it.

He must have moaned in surprise because she suddenly pulled back, her eyes widened in shock and her fingers flew to her lips; the fingertips feeling how swollen Gendry's kisses made them. Gendry gently tugged her back to him and put both hands on the sides of her face.

"Okay?" he asked. He didn't know why he said just that, but it was as if Arya understood him perfectly when she gave her reply.

"Okay."

* * *

"Is this your Lord father's Weirwood?"

"Yes. I've seen him countless of times in this Godswood, praying to the gods or sometimes just to think. I even teased him about getting away from all six of us children when he needs his peace and quiet!"

Arya watched as Gendry took a seat on the sturdy rock in front of the heart tree, positioned right in the middle of the stage. They knew their blockings well, and well enough for them to make a few improvisations here and there. She walked closer to him, preparing for the part they had both dreaded for some time now. The kiss was happening during this scene, and Arya was suddenly a bundle of nerves.

"Your father is a most honorable man, Lady Nymeria. I find no one as honorable as he was when he was alive."

"That he was. I still do miss him, especially when I come here and pray to the gods."

As blocked, Gendry stood and walked towards her as she stood in front of the heart tree.

_Oh my god! Oh my god! This is it!_

It was one thing to be kissed by Gendry in the empty classroom – her first kiss – but it was another thing to be kissed on stage, in front of an audience.

While her entire family was watching.

"It is a most sacred place," he whispered. "I wonder if the gods would allow it."

Arya tried to focus on her lines, but Gendry was making it hard for her. Not that he was doing anything outside Joseph's character. But the kiss was close to happening and she could feel he's suddenly as tense as she is.

"What would they allow, Joseph?"

"If I kiss you right here…in this Godswood…in front of your father's sacred heart tree."

She was supposed to say her final line but she just stood there watching him…watching his eyes…and she knows this was most definitely Gendry, not Joseph. She sees the corner of his mouth go up in a small smile, his eyes flashing with mischief as he dared her to say her final line.

Then that was it. Once she says it, he would kiss her.

She was hesitating for a moment, because she desperately asked him not to slip her the tongue during this kiss, like he did back in the classroom. But he looked so full of mischief that Arya was sure he _would_ slip his tongue in her mouth, right in full view of her family.

She didn't say anything, but her face screamed _DON'T DO IT, GENDRY!_ while his screamed _WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?_

_It's now or never._

_Seven hells._

"Even if you've just won this war for us, I'm sure my father would not allow it," she said, her voice sounding hoarse to her own ears.

_Well, the fucker's trying not to grin now, isn't he?_

"But my father's no longer about, isn't he?"

"I'm going to kiss you now, Ar-" Gendry slipped, and Arya wanted to smack his head.

"—Nymeria," he corrected quickly.

_Okay, hold up. That wasn't in the script, wasn't it?_

Gendry held her stare, as if daring her to respond to the adlib. _Holy mother effer, he's making this hard for me! _She could see the rest of the cast by the stage wings; Sansa looking surprised as the rest of them. They knew Gendry added that last bit, and now everybody was waiting with bated breath.

"No, you won't," she said, her chin jutting out stubbornly.

He froze. Gendry didn't expect that.

"Not if I kiss you first."

And Arya Stark did kiss him first. She pulled his face down to meet hers in a hard, passionate kiss that she was sure would make her father and her brothers want to tear their hair out. But to hell with it all because maybe she did want to be kissed like this and she just didn't know it.

Until Gendry.

It was a passionate kiss, albeit a short one. When they pulled apart, they noticed that the whole auditorium was quiet, and it didn't help matters when even the people by the stage wings were dead silent too. That is, until the curtains came to a close and everyone seemed to realize that it was over that they started clapping and hooting and yelling _Bravo!_

Gendry and Arya stood there, staring at each other, even as the rest of the cast went back on stage for the curtain call. Arya felt someone nudge her side and turned to see Sansa grinning at her and shooting teasing looks at Gendry.

"Maybe you'd like to continue this later, but for now, curtain call!" Sansa whispered before stepping downstage and making her pretty Sansa bow.

When it was her turn, the applause turned thunderous and she saw her family leap to their feet and flash a thumbs up sign to her. She finally walked back upstage and let Gendry take a bow, and the audience didn't let up on the thunderous applause. If it was even possible, the sound only got louder.

The applause didn't die down even after, and Arya felt the other cast members push her towards the center of the stage once again until it was just her and Gendry. They took another bow and curtsy, and Arya felt Gendry nudge her hand until she let him hold it.

"We did it, stupid! It's over!" Arya said with a big goofy grin on her face.

He flashed her his signature smirk, the one that made her heart flutter in her chest that first time at auditions, and said, "Nope. Just beginning."

"Cheeseball," Arya said with a laugh.

But Gendry only pulled her to him in response and kissed her again.


End file.
